Merchandise display

ABSTRACT

A pallet display comprising a four way pallet on which the merchandise is supported in two or more layers. Two or more pallet displays can be stacked for storage and transport. The permanent base may comprise a metal frame which can be covered by a base wrap containing graphics relating to the merchandise on display. The base wrap can be folded and is stored and transported with the pallet display. Additionally, the base can include cut-outs for forklift arms that allows the pallet display to be moved after the base wrap can include cutouts for forklift arms that allows the pallet display to be moved after the base wrap is applied.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/443,710, filed Jan. 30, 2003, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This invention relates to a device for displaying merchandise in retail outlets. More particularly, the invention relates to a merchandise display unit intended for use in large retail outlets of the type commonly known as club stores.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are three major warehouse club store chains in the United States. These are Sam's, Cosco's and BJ's. In these stores, it is common in areas such as the pharmacy area to include merchandise displays in an open area at the ends of the aisles. Additionally, other venues such as convention centers, airports and department stores also use similar merchandise displays. In such displays, it is required that the merchandise be arranged so that it is easily accessible to a customer. Ideally the merchandise should be placed somewhere between the waist and eye level of the average customer. A minimum height above the floor of 28 inches is standard.

To comply with these requirements, manufacturers of pharmaceutical products which are sold in small containers, package the containers in layers which are then placed on a false bottom, usually made of corrugated board. When replacement of the product in a store is necessary, an entire new unit, including the false bottom, is retrieved from storage and shipped to the store. The false bottom of the previous display unit is disassembled and then discarded. The replenishment process inside the store is, in some stores, performed manually and this is a labor intensive process.

Because of the need to stock and transport both the merchandise and the false bottom, there is substantial waste and unnecessary cost in terms of material, labor and shipping.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved device for displaying a multiplicity of packages on a free standing display of the type used in warehouse club stores and other venues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, each store in which merchandise is to be offered on a free standing display unit is provided with a permanent base which supports a pallet display comprising a four way pallet on which the merchandise is supported in two or more layers. In this way, it is only necessary for the manufacturer or distributor to store the pallet display. Two or more pallet displays can be stacked for storage and transport. The permanent base may comprise a metal frame which can be covered by a base wrap containing graphics relating to the merchandise on display. The base wrap can be folded and is stored and transported with the pallet display. Additionally, the base wrap can include cut-outs for forklift arms that allows the pallet display to be moved after the base wrap is applied.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet display in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display unit as it would appear in a store.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a pallet display in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The pallet display may consist of a four way pallet 4, a product package 6, and a folded base wrap (not shown in FIG. 1) retained within a folder or container 8. The entire pallet display may be covered by a stretch wrap plastic material (not shown) for storage and transportation. Additionally, corner posts can be attached to the display to assist in the transportation and storage of the pallet display.

It is contemplated that a product display in accordance with the invention will be used in many cases to offer pharmaceutical products to the public. In the illustrated example, the product display comprises Advil™ pain relief medicine in bottles packaged in individual boxes 10. The individual boxes 10 are stacked in layers within a conventional club tray 12 to form, in this example, three layers of boxes with each layer being three boxes deep. In some cases the bottles themselves may be retained in the tray 12.

Tray 12 may be made of corrugated cardboard and serves both as a billboard for the product and a means for packaging the products in an attractive configuration. For example, the tray 12 ensures that the boxes 10 will occupy the entire area of the display.

The pallet display unit shown in FIG. 1 is adapted to be placed on a permanent metal base 20 which will be mounted in the area where the product is to be offered for sale. The pallet display can be placed in any location were a stand alone display may be required, e.g. a club store, a convention center, an airport, an auto service center and a department store. Base 20 may consist of four corner struts 21, L-shaped in cross section, which support three horizontal tubular bars 23, rectangular in cross section and which form a floor for a series of horizontal cross struts 22 on which pallet 4 rests. The base 20 may include a series of additional reinforcement bars (not numbered) to provide strength and stability.

The pallet 4 may be made of wood and includes a series of slats 24 on which product package 6 is mounted. The pallet 4 may be conventional and may either be what is known as a four way pallet or a two way pallet. A four way pallet allows the prongs of a conventional fork lift to engage the pallet from any of its four sides. A two way pallet only allows the forklift prongs to engage the pallet from 2 sides.

The base wrap 16 may be made of a heavy paper material and glued together so that it can be placed over the display after it has been assembled. Alternatively, the base wrap 16 may comprise individual panels that are magnetically attracted to the base frame 20 or which are attached by mechanical attachment means such as Velcro fasteners. The base wrap is commonly formed as a “sleeve” of material that slides over the base.

The pallet display as shipped and transported may be about thirty-two inches high; therefore, it is practical to triple stack the pallet displays for storage and transport. In contrast, with existing systems in which the base is stored with the product package, the display is about sixty inches tall and, therefore, ordinarily single stacked in shipping and storage. The invention thus requires less storage space and lower transportation costs for a given product package.

Additionally, the pallet display is slightly oversized as compared to the pallets stacked on top of it. This allows numerous different trays with different dimensions to be accommodated on the same pallet display. Thus, the pallet display may be used as a semi-permanent display once it is placed in a location.

In use, after a base 20 has been properly positioned in a store, a selected pallet display is delivered by fork lift to the base and positioned in its desired position on top of the base. The base wrap 16 is then removed from the container 8 on top of the pallet display, opened and placed over the product package 6, pallet 4 and base 20 as shown in FIG. 3.

Obviously, the specific dimensions of the various elements shown in the drawings form no part of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, the display is rectangular with dimensions of forty inches by forty-eight inches. The floor formed by the horizontal bars 22 lies twenty-seven inches above the surface on which the frame 20 sits. Pallet 4 is five inches thick and the product package 6 twenty-six inches tall which means that the top of the package 6 is at a height of fifty-eight inches as measured from the supporting surface.

While there have been shown, described, and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or steps which perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. It is also to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but that they are merely conceptual in nature. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. 

1. A pallet display for use in displaying a multiplicity of packaged containers on a permanent base, comprising: a pallet, a tray for retaining said packaged containers in a plurality of separate layers; a base wrap adapted to cover said base; and means for a securing the base wrap, packaged containers and pallet together for storage and transport.
 2. In combination, a pallet display and a base, the base adapted to be positioned on the floor of a store and including an upper surface on which said pallet display is supported, the pallet display comprising: a pallet, a tray for retaining a multiplicity of packages in two or more layers on top of said pallet, said pallet being positioned on top of the base, and a base wrap enveloping said base, said base wrap containing graphics pertaining to the product being offered for sale.
 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said base wrap is a continuous member which is adapted to be placed over the base.
 4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said base wrap is foldable so that it can be retained on a top of said tray without overlap. 